San Diego, CA
Mayor Todd Gloria’s massive warehouse shelter will again be debated, but behind closed doors
Five months after a brutal, hourslong, late-into-the-night hearing where few residents or elected leaders could find positive things to say about the prospect of turning an empty Middletown warehouse into one of the nation’s largest homeless shelters, the proposal is back before the San Diego City Council.
But details about the re-negotiated plan will, at least for the moment, stay hidden.
Council members are scheduled to meet Monday behind closed doors about the “price and payment terms” for acquiring the nearly 65,000-square-foot property at the intersection of Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street. Few other specifics were provided in the meeting agenda, and representatives for Mayor Todd Gloria, who’s long championed the proposal, and the site’s owner, local businessman Doug Hamm, didn’t provide additional information.
A spokesperson for Hamm said only that he still believed in the project.
The original lease could have cost the city $1 billion over the next three-plus decades. Its critics were legion.
The City Attorney’s office said the agreement introduced too many legal and financial risks. The Independent Budget Analyst worried it would take money from other services. Some experts questioned whether the facility could reasonably hold 1,000 beds, a key selling point, and city staffers didn’t independently assess the structure’s condition. Instead, they relied on a report commissioned by the landlord — which still found a high likelihood that “asbestos-containing material” and “lead-based paint” were inside.
The council voted in July to delay a final decision and many submitted changes they wanted to see in the lease, including smaller rent increases. Yet even if those demands are met, the project may still face opposition as the city stares down a deficit worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Multiple council members criticized the proposal Wednesday during a budget committee meeting.
Vivian Moreno repeatedly wondered why San Diego should drop tens of millions of dollars next year on the shelter when services in historically neglected neighborhoods could be cut. Henry Foster III said the proposal felt like business as usual when perhaps the city’s entire approach to homelessness needed an overhaul.
“Colleagues may or may not support a mega-shelter,” said Joe LaCava, who was recently elected council president. But, he added, San Diego still needs “1,000 more beds somewhere, somehow.”
Homelessness countywide has grown every month for more than two-and-a-half years and there are nowhere near enough shelter spots for everybody asking.
While officials recently succeeded in finding beds to offset the closure of two downtown facilities, other shelters are still set to shutter down the line for a variety of reasons, including land being slated for new development. Some staffers on Wednesday characterized plans to add 1,000 beds as partially a way to replace what will be lost.
That reality may push San Diego leaders to put even more pressure on neighboring cities and county officials to boost their own shelter systems.
“The city should be building parks and libraries, firehouses and police divisions,” Councilmember Raul Campillo said this month in a speech, while “the county should be building shelters and units to address homelessness.”
“But until the county changes, the city will be stuck,” he added.
The County of San Diego has in recent years proposed shelter projects in Lakeside, Santee and Spring Valley, but leaders backed down in each case after some residents objected. The Board of Supervisors is currently hoping to build several dozen small cabins in Lemon Grove, though that too has received pushback.
County officials recently moved to continue issuing vouchers that help homeless residents rent motel rooms while they explore potential changes to the program.
The total cost of the crisis, from encampment sweeps to homelessness-related police calls to emergency room visits, is unknown.
It’s not yet clear when a public hearing might be held on the warehouse shelter. Some residents are nonetheless planning to weigh in during an open comment period Monday.
Originally Published:
Remarkably, the San Diego State Aztecs can still win a share of the Mountain West title despite losing four of their last five games.
SDSU (19-10, 13-6) needs to beat UNLV (16-14, 11-8) on Friday night in its home finale and then have New Mexico win at Utah State on Saturday for a three-way tie.
The Aztecs had their destiny in their hands less than a week ago, but then lost at New Mexico (13-6) on Saturday and then again at Boise State on Tuesday night, pretty much snuffing out their NCAA Tournament at-large bid chances and apparently ending their hopes at the MW title in their final season in the conference.
But then Utah State (14-5) was routed at UNLV and New Mexico lost at home to Nevada, setting up the possibility of a three-way tie. It’ll be moot, however, if the Aggies beat the Lobos, which will give them the title outright and the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament in Las Vegas.
That’s life in the MW, which the Aztecs and Aggies are leaving after this season to join the new-look Pac-12, along with Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State.
The big picture
The Aztecs were voted the unanimous preseason favorite to win the regular-season title, based on a loaded roster under coach Brian Dutcher, including the return of Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath after pulling out of the NBA Draft, and Reese Dixon-Waters after missing last year with a foot injury.
But it’s been a rough go from almost the start, when a rough showing in the non-conference schedule put them on the bubble for an at-large NCAA Tournament berth.
They started to find themselves early in league play by running off a seven-game losing streak, but then lost consecutive games at Grand Canyon and Utah State. Their current skid includes a surprising home loss to Grand Canyon and then a startling road loss to Colorado State.
They routed Utah State at home last week before losing at New Mexico on Saturday and then being routed at Boise State on Tuesday night, when they were outrebounded 37-15.
The last three games were all Quad 1 opportunities in the NCAA NET Rankings, but going 1-2 in those games further hurt their already weak chances at an at-large tourney berth. Those rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.
Now they’ll almost certainly have to win three games in three days at the MW tournament to claim the automatic bid to reach March Madness for the sixth straight year.
Key facts
The Aztecs will be facing UNLV for the final time in the regular season, as the Runnin’ Rebels will be remaining behind in the MW.
The teams will meet for the 86th time overall, with the Aztecs leading the series 45-40. SDSU is 21-14 against the Runnin’ Rebels in San Diego and 18-8 on Steve Fisher Court.
Below is a look at how to watch UNLV at San Diego State
How to watch UNLV at San Diego State
Date: Friday, March 6
Game time: 7 p.m. PT
Where: Viejas Arena | San Diego
How to watch: CBS Sports Network
How to listen: San Diego Sports 760 (local)
On Thursday, the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded its largest increase since Sept. 28, 2023, rising 8.7 cents to $4.894, its highest amount since Nov. 13.
The average price has increased 15 consecutive days, rising 28.7 cents, including 7 cents on Wednesday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 22.4 cents more than one week ago, 38.6 cents higher than one month ago and 14.5 cents greater than one year ago.
The average price has dropped $1.541 since rising to a record $6.435 on Oct. 5, 2022.
“Gas prices are rising primarily due to a recent surge in crude oil following strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel,” Kandace Redd, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s senior public affairs specialist, told City News Service. “Any conflict with Iran can send oil prices higher, as Iran is a major oil producer and about a fifth of the oil consumed globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
“Gas prices are increasing because of seasonal factors too. Refineries are beginning the switch to more expensive summer-blend fuel, and demand is picking up as we head into the spring break season with more people on the road.”
The national average price rose 5.3 cents to $3.251, its highest amount since Sept. 11, 2024. It has risen five consecutive days, increasing 26.9 cents, including 8.9 cents on Wednesday.
The national average price is 26.8 cents more than one week ago, 36 cents higher than one month ago and 14.4 cents greater than one year ago. It has dropped $1.765 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
UNLV Rebels (16-14, 11-8 MWC) at San Diego State Aztecs (19-10, 13-6 MWC)
San Diego; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: UNLV faces San Diego State after Kimani Hamilton scored 24 points in UNLV’s 92-65 victory over the Utah State Aggies.
The Aztecs have gone 13-2 in home games. San Diego State is eighth in the MWC with 9.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Miles Heide averaging 2.0.
The Rebels have gone 11-8 against MWC opponents. UNLV ranks eighth in the MWC shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.
San Diego State averages 79.1 points per game, 0.6 more points than the 78.5 UNLV gives up. UNLV averages 7.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game San Diego State allows.
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. San Diego State won the last meeting 82-71 on Jan. 24. Miles Byrd scored 23 points points to help lead the Aztecs to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reese Dixon-Waters is shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Aztecs, while averaging 13 points. Byrd is averaging 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is shooting 50.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Rebels. Hamilton is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aztecs: 5-5, averaging 74.9 points, 28.9 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.0 points per game.
Rebels: 6-4, averaging 84.1 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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